Mounting for pinion shaft of rear axle



Nov. 11, 1930.

T. C. DELAVAL-CROW MOUNTING FOR PINION SHAFT OF REAR AXLE Filed Dec. 14, 1928 H/s ATTOQNEY Patented Nov. 11, 1930 "UNETED STATES FATE i'T'HoMAs o. nELAvAL-oaow,-or BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORTO THE NEW m2:

PARTURE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT MOUNTING on rmron; SHAFT or REARAx E Application filed December 14, 1928. Serial No. 326,049.

This invention relates tomountings for pinion shafts of rear axles and comprises all the teatureso'f novelty herein disclosed. -An

' prove generally and in'detail upon devices of in the various matters herein disclosed and object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and easily assembled mount ng for such shafts and" one in which the adjustment of the pinion shaftv can be easily eflected and maintained." To these-ends and to imthis character, the invention further consists claimed, Inits broader aspects, the invention is not necessarily limited to theispecific constructions selected ,for illustrative purposes in the, accompanying drawingsin which Fig. 1 isa horizontalxsectional view of a I v I tion and providesabetter adjustment forthe mounting for the pinion shaft of a rear axle and I H 11: Fig.2 is a similar view. of another embodiment of the invention. Automobiles commonly have a differential driving pinion at the rear end of a shaft mounted in axially movable antiiriction bear- I ings, one being a double row bearing and one a single row bearing, and the double row hearing or bothbearings being carried by an adjustingsleeve 'threaded'in a housing extend-l ing forwardlyv from the rear axle caslng'and' often split so it can be clamped on thesleeven The present invention. simplifies the construcwpinion shaft.

Then'umeral 2 indicates a tubular carrier, which projects forwardly from the usual rearaxle housing -The usual ring gear 4 of the differential meshes with a drive pinion 6 which may be integral with the shaft 8 driven v by a coupling disc or plate 10 keyeduto the shaft and held by a nutjl2. The carrier is unbroken" circumferentially and '1 has a straight, sinoothbore l l'extending out to its open end which is reinforced byan annular flange 16.

, between the pinion 6 and the member 10 and i. is provided with angular contact raceways20 A long sleeve or inner race ring 18 extends and 22 facing towards one another for rolling elements, herein shown as rows of balls 24 and 26, respectively. The balls 24 engag w OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION v gular contact racewayon an outerrace ring.

28 which has a sliding fit in the bore 14. The balls 26 aresmaller than the balls 24: and engage an angular contact raceway on an outer race ring 30 fitting against'a shoulder 32 in a; recess of a sleeve which is diametrically fsplit as indicated by the joint line 3 L into two sections 36and 38.

The sectional sleeve has aportion of its pei i I riphery cylindrical as indicated at 40 for sliding fit in the bore 14 and another portion w 42 is reduced in diameter and provided with a peripheral groove for a split spring ring 44. The spring ringholds thesleeve sections tointerposed between the flanges. Bolts hold the flanges together, the bolts also holding an outerring or washer 52 whichis cupped at 54;.

to enclose a washer 56 and afelt ring 58 surrounding lub'ricant;

the hub of the member 10 to retain During assembly, with the sleeve or inner race ring 18 fixed on the shaft and the rows of balls 24c and 26 on their raceways, the outer engage its balls. Before, putting these parts in the tubular carrier 2, the sleeve sections 86 and38 are; put between the outer race rings by radial movement and held by the spring ring/l4. After.putting washers 48 of suitable thickness against-' flange A6, the assembled race ring 28 is moved axially in one direction to engage its balls and the outer race ring-3O V is moved axially-in the opposite direction to 7 parts are slid-into the bore 40 and clamped by the bolts 50..

Fig. 2 shows; a .form of the invention in which subsequent adjustment can be easily effected withoutremoving the assembled bear ing from the bore even if the W'ashers'48 are not splitintosections. Both'outer race rings 28 and 30 having a sliding fit in the bore and. the sleevev sections'36 and 38, meeting at 84,

area? t pa t th e i l thr st a on the balls. I Eachsleeve section has one or ly of the bore. "A ring'or washer TOHcarrying aifelt'washer 72 closesthe, end of the bore, TheringTO hasa fiange 'i'to engage the end,

ers 48 between. Clamping bolts 50 holdthe ring 70, and the flange 74 holds thebearing more slotsGO with inclined end walls 62 engaged by the coned ends 64 or" adjusting screws 66" threaded in the tubular carrier 2* and locked by nuts68. The screwsadju'stably limit movement of the bearing parts-inwardof the'race ring 30'and a flange 76 overlapping the flange 16 of the carrier with spacing washfrom outward movement. ,Arnewadjustment' "can be effected without removing the bearing I from the bore byremoving the ring 7 an'd 'inserting spacingwashers of the desired aggregate-thickness. The cone ended screwsare th'en adjusted to preventsany infwardmoveithwidely spaced; rows-of'balls under an I initia-l' thrust load, there is minimum gear motion in any'direction. The adjustment of the'fipinion shaft isi accuratelyiand rigidly nn'ski'llfulpersons. Accurateshaft alignment i "is insured by the unbroken carrier 2 which-is qnot distorted by clamping devices and the ment ofthelbe'aring in its new position.

maintained andis not likely to-be disturbed-by t raight' bore iseasilymachined. j .fso; 1

' "E 1. In an axle construction having a pinion shaft subject to end thrust, a tubular carrier v projecting from the" afxleflandf haw'ng' ja 1 smooth unbrokenboreextendingto its'open afdrivin'g memberat the other, a long. 'l j'r I claimz end, afpinion; at 'one end of the shaft and V p in fixed on; the shaft and extending -i%r0m; the i-pinlon to Jthe 'c'lriving-mem'ber, an angular contactfraceway at the end-of the'sleeve adacent' to the pinion and an ;-angular confl iftact raceway at the endfof the sleeve adj' jacent tothe driving member, rolling ele- 'ments running ,on-the raceways,-"a;*paiir of "outer race rings mountedto slide axially as; :a unit along the bore Wall, means for holding flthe outer race ringsin, a constant spaced =1relationwithanfinitial thrustfloadon the jacent tothe pinion and an angular-h mer racewayfat the end pof' tlie sleeve adjacent; {to the "driving member, rolling elements 'iru'nn'ingionthe racew'ays, outer'race' rings1 'I'nounted for axial movement within the-bore,

a split sleeve for holding the outer race rings apart with, an initial thrust load on the roll} ing elements, means foradjustably limiting V the axialmovement of the sleeve in one direction, and means vforftholding said sleeve against the limiting described,

3. In; an axle construction having a pinion shaft subject "to end thrust, a ftubular carrier e projecting from the axle Sand having a smooth unbroken bore extending 'to its 1 openend, apiniionvat one end of the shaft and a driving member at the other, a long sleeve fixedgon the shaft and extending from the pinion to the driving member, an anguadjacent to the pinion and an angular con tact raceway at 'the end of the sleeve-adja- "cent to the driving member, rolling. elements Frunni'ng on the raceways, outer race rings mounted for axial movement-'wlthi'nithe -bore,"a split sleeve for holdinglthe outer means substantially as"- t '80 lar contactraceway at the end of the sleeve race rings spaced apart, means for-adjustwably limiting the axial movement of the; sleeve in :one direction, a ring engaging the end of one ofthe outerprace rings, and V means for "clamping said tolthe tubular carrierysubstantially asdescribed- 4, In an axle constructionhavinga pinion "shaft subject to end ,thrust'fatubular carrier projecting from the axle and {havingsa smooth unbroken bore extending to-its'openv end, a flange at the end of the tubularbcarg arier', spacing washers" fitting againstfthe flange, a} sleeve fixedfon the shaft and-hav ;i'ng widely spaced-i angular contact raceways,

rolling elements running on the raceways,

outer race rings mounted for axial movesaid outer race ringand' the spacing ers; substantially as described,

" l 5. In an axle construction having a ion shaft subject 'to end thrust, a vtubular carrier projecting from theaxlefand having a smooth unbroken bore extend-ingf tk) its "ment' Within the bore, a'sleeve for holding Q lthe out-er race rings spaced apart, a ringen i' gaging theendof one ofthe outerra'ce rings, Sand means; forclamping'the ring againlst was having widelysp'aced angular 'contactrace ways, rolling elements runningonthe race-f ways, outer race rings mounted; for-axial movement, within the; bore, ajlsplit sleeve v V for holding the outer race rings spaced apart, j

the sections of; the sleeve having. openings ,iwithfinclined walls, adjustingscrewson the g carrier for engaging theinclined walls and ymeans at the open end the tubular carrier for clampingthe'adjacent router racerlng against thesleeve substantially as described 7 In an axle construction-having 'apine ionfshaft subject to end thrust, a tubular C r r P jecting from, the axle, sleeve Y fixed t sh t a d having wid y pacedj l angular contact. "raceways, rolling elements i running on the raceways, outer race rings mounted for axial movement in the tubular carrier, a split sleeve in the carrier for holding the outer race rings spaced apart, spacing Washers resting against an abutment face of the carrier, a ring at the open end of the carrier and engaging the end of one of the outer race rings and means for clamping the ring to the carrier to hold the outer race ring in the carrier and to hold the spacing Washers against the abutment face; substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. THOMAS C. DELAVAL-CROWL 

